Wall covering



J. KRAUSS WALL covERING April 12, 1932.

Filed March 9, V1951 I) v 45 A Patented Apr. 12, 1932 JOSEPH KRA'USS, OFPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, :BY MESNE ASSIGN;Y

MENTS, TO NEW- BRICK CORPORATION, F

PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A GOR- WALL COVERINGApplication led March 9, 1931. Serial No. 521,083.

My present invention relates to the wall coveringart wherein a wall,usually the exterior wall of a wooden building, is to be provided with asurface design to give the ipipearance of being formed of brick or theFrequently for this'purpose metal sheets colored and marked off torepresent bricks, or other laid building units, are-nailed to the woodenwall, but the articiality of such a surface is usually quite apparentand the general effect cheap and tawdry.

Again blocks of plastic material, such as cement, designed to representbricks or other laid building units have been formed or attached onbacking surfaces such as pieces of composition board and the latter havebeen nailed or otherwise secured to the wall. In many of such casesdifficulty has been experienced in maintaining a permanent bond betweenthe ,backing and the blocks and -therefore in time the blocks tend tobecome loosened soas to admiLm'oisture .between them and the backing,and may eventually become detached froml the backing.

One of the objects vwhich I havein view is the provision of aninexpensive wall covering which may be readily and securely attached tothe wall of a building, which will present a close resemblance to a'wall laid of bricks orf other building units, and which will remainpermanently in place while indefinitely retaining the desiredappearance.

Another object which-I have in view is the provision of such a wallcovering which will be of relatively light weight so as to be, readilyhandled and put in place, and which will not impose too much weight onthe wall to which it is applied or upon the securing means ,whereby itis attached to the wall.

Another object which I have in view is the provision of a new andimproved process of manufacturing such wall covering whereby the'productmay be more inexpensively and expeditiously produced and a wall coveringof an' improved and more durable quality ma be obtained.

enerally speaking my improved wall covering comprises umts consisting ofa board,

`preferably a composition board backing upon the face of which aremounted one or more blocks in properly spaced relation with,

each other, formed of plastic material, such as cement, and the blockshaving embedded therein a sheet of metal mesh which is permanentlysecured to the outer face of the board. In the spaces or valleys betweenthe blocks the mesh is exposed and is later covered with suitable mortarwhich represents the mortar bonds or pointing between the blocks.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention each unit presents aplurality of blocks, the number of blocks being such as will not renderthe unit too heavy or too cumbersome to handle, and the ends of theunits being oEset so that the end blocks of horizontally alined unitswill interlock to form the usual staggered joints in adjacent rows ofblocks. l

After the units have been nailed or otherwise secured to the buildingwall the valleys be een adjacent blocks and at the perimetra edges ofadjacent units are filled or po ted with mortar, and thus the ,completedwall presents a faithful reproduction of a regularly laid and pointedbrick or block wall.

' I also provide a new and improved corner unit "in accordance with myinvention whereby the latter may be applied to the covering of cornersof buildings and the sides of window and door openings and the like. v

I furtherhave invented a new and improved process of manufacturing mywall covering, as will appear from the following description.

I further proved grid-mold for use in forming my wall units.

have provided a new and im- In the accompanying drawings, Fig..1 is

showing the gridthe mesh Fig. 4 is a broken plan view of the unit afterthe blocks have been cast and have hardened and the grid-mold has beenremoved.

F ig; 5 is a broken elevation of a portion of a building wall with twohorizontally alined units assembled thereon.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Fi 5.

Fig. 7 is a ace view of a unit having a single blockr thereon.

Fig. Sis a perspective of one of my corner units.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings, 1represents the backing board of the wall covering unit, the same beingpreferably of composition such as is cornmonly known in the building artas wall board. rThe board is cut into proper shape, such as illustratedin Figs. 1 and 3, so that two units will interlock when secured inposition in horizontal alinement and adjacent horizontal rows of blockswill present the usual staggered joints.

On the face of backing board 1 l secure a similar size and shaped sheetof metallic mesh 2. This may be as shown, a sheet of eX- panded metal ormay be of woven wire or of other suitable construction.

The mesh is permanently secured to the face of lthe board 1, as by thestaples 3 which are driven through the board 1 and have their endsclinched against the back of the board, as best illustrated at 4 in Fig.2.

The board 1 with its facing of metallic mesh 2 is then laid inahorizontal position with the mesh upwardly, and the grid-mold 5-6 isplaced thereon as illustrated in Fig. 3, the perimetral edges of thegrid-mold matching the perimetral edges lof the board l. Suitable clampsor other means may be employed to hold the grid-mold rigidly in positionon the backing board.

The grid-mold is formed by a relatively narrow perimetral wall 5 whichfollows and matches the perimetral contour of the board 1 and interiorpartitions 6 which preferably are of twice the width of the perimetralwall. These. partitions 6 are arrangedto divide the interior of thegridmold into molding cavitieseach the size and shape of the blockswhich are to be cast,"and the width of the partitions is that desiredfor the width of the valleys or mortar spaces desired between theblocks. The reason for'making the perimetral wall 5 of the grid-mold buthalf the width of the partitions 6 is that the valleys or depressions tobe formed about the edges of the unit are to mate with like valleysabout the edges of the .adjacent units when the units are assembled onthe wall, thus jointly forming the valleys or mortar spaces between thecontiguous blocks of adjacent units.

The grid-mold may be made of suitablematerial. Thus it may be cast orotherwise formed of metal to provide the necessary strength andrigidity.

The cement or other material in plastic form is then lled into the moldcavities, the walls of said cavities, formed by the perimetral wall 5and the partitions 6 vof the grid-mold, and said walls of the properheight to give the desired thickness to the blocks. A quarter or a thirdof an inch molddepth is usually sufficient.

The mesh 2 is embedded permanently in the block material when the lattersets and hardens, so that the block is rigidly and permanently securedto the surface of the backing board 1.

The blocks are indicated at 7 in Figs. 4 and 5. The valleys 8 betweenthe blocks as indicated in Fig. 4 are the Width of the partitions 6 andalong the perimetral edges of the unit are the half-width valleys 9which mate with similar half-width Valleys of adjacent units, when theunits are secured to the building, to form full width valleys. As willbe noted the mesh is exposed in these valleys 8 and 9.

lVhen the units are secured to the building wall which is indicated at10 in Figs. 5 and 6, nails or other fasteners 11 are driven through themesh 2 and the backingboard 1 along the Yvalleys into the wall 10. buchfasteners are provided with relatively large head portions so as toengage and bear down on the mesh.

After the units are secured in place on the building wall the valleys 8and 9 are iilled in or pointed with suitable mortar 12 which bonds inwith the mesh 2 and covers and protects the heads of the fasteners 11.

The interlocking of the blocks of adjacent units is illustrated in Fig.5, portions of the blocksof the next unit to the right being indicatedat 7a.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a unit comprising a backing board 1a providedwith a mesh 2a, and having a single block 7b formed thereon, the samebeing surrounded by a valley 9a which mates with like valleys onadjacent single-block units, the unit being secured to the building wallby fasteners driven through their perimetral valleys, and theV valleysbeing filled or pointed with mortar after the units have been secured tothe building wall.

1n Fig. 8 l show a unit for forming corners of walls, the corners ofwindow and door openings, wall ends and the like.

In such case the backing board 1b is angular to fit against two faces ofthe building wall and the mesh 2b is likewise angular and is stapled tothe board 1.

The blocks 7c are disposed alternately as shown, each block exposing aside and an end surface.

The alternate disposal `of the blocks enables the corner members tointerlock with the standard unit shown in Fig. 4.

The units may be formed with any desired number of rows of blocks andany number of blocks in a row, but the units are preferably of an areawhich will be convenient and light enough to handle -and put in placewith convenience and dispatch. One of the marked advantages of myimproved wall covering is its relative toughness, as the blocks may berelatively thin, preferably not more than a quarter inch in depth. Thisalso reduces the cost of the materia'l. The backing board, 'which maybeY any wall board of good quality need not be relatively thick, aquarter inch thickness being ample.

. The wall covering may be formed to simulate any character of laidbuilding units,

such as brick, tile, artificial stone blocks, building stone and thelike, the material of which the blocks are formed being colored ortinted to reproduce exactly the eiect desired. The valleys may likewisebe pointed with any desired color and character of mortar. The mortarbeing bonded by the mesh will be permanently held in position.

I claim l. A wall covering unit to be fastened to a building wall andcomprising a backing board having a metallic mesh secured to its faceand a block of plastic material cast onto said board and having the meshembedded therein.

2. A wall covering unit to be fastened'to a building wall and comprisinga backing board having a metallic mesh secured to its face and a blockof plastic material cast onto said board and having the mesh embeddedtherein, the edges of the board extending beyond the edges of the blockto form valleys for pointing with mortarv when the unit is in place.

3. A wall covering unit to be fastened to a building wall and comprisinga backingy board having a metallic mesh secured to its face and a blockof plastic material cast onto said\board and having the mesh embeddedtherein, the edges of the board and the mesh extending beyond the edgesof the block to form valleys for pointing with mortar when the unit isin place. j

4. A wall covering unit comprising a backingl boa-rd, a sheet ofmetallic mesh covering and secured to the face of the board, and aplurality of blocks of plastic material cast on said board and havingportions of the mesh embedded in their material, the blocks beingl inspaced relation to `each other toprovide vfor intervening valleys.

5. A wall covering unit comprising a backing board, a sheet of metallicmesh covering and secured to the face of the board, and a plurality ofblocks of plastic material cast on said board and having portions of themesh embedded in their material, the blocks being in spaced relation toeach other to provide for intervening valleys, and the mesh beingexposedin said valleys to form a bond for the mortar pointing.

6. A wall covering umt comprising a back- I ing board, a sheet ofmetallic mesh covering and secured to the face of the board, and aplurality of blocks of plastic material cast on said board and having'portions 'of the mesh embedded in their material, the blocks being inspaced relation to each other to form intervening valleys and the blocksbeing also setl back from the perimetral edges of the backing board sothat valleys may be formed at the contiguous edges of adjoining unitswhen the units are fastened to a building.

7. A wall covering unit comprising a backing board, a sheet of metallicmesh covering" 'the backing board so'that valleys may formed at'thecontiguous edges of adjoininfr units when the units are fastened to abuild: ing, the perimetral valleys of the units being substantially halfthe width of the valleys between blocks on the same unit.

8. A Wall covering unit comprising a backing board, a sheet of metallicmesh covering and secured to the face of tlie board, and a plurality ofblocks of plastic material cast on said board and having portions of themesh embedded in their material, the blocks being in spaced relation toeach other to form intervening valleys and the blocks bev ing alsosetback from the' perimetral edges of the backing board so that valleysmay be formed at the contiguous edges of adjoining units when the'unitsare fastened to a building, the blocks in adjacent rows on the same unitbeing in staggered relation so that the ends of adjacent units willinterlock.

9.l A Wall covering unit comprising a block of plastic materialcast ontop of a sheet of metal mesh, the sheet extending beyond the sides .andends of said block, 'and being exposed to form the interventing `valleysbe tween adjacent blocks. v

10. A wall covering unit comprising a plurality of blocks cast ofplastic material on top of a continuous sheet of metal mesh, the

"units being separated by valleys.

units being separated by valleys, and the l mesh being exposed in saidvalleys.

12. A wall covering unit comprising a continuous sheet of metal mesh ontop of which are cast a plurality of blocks of plastic material, themesh being exposed in the Valleys between the individual blocks topermit pointing with mortar.

13. A wall covering unit comprising a continuous sheet of metal mesh ontop of which are cast a plurality of spaced apart blocks of plasticmaterial, the mesh being exposed around the blocks to form valleysbetween the blocks of the unit and between such blocks and the blocks ofadjacent units, said val leys permitting subsequent pointing withmortar.

14. A wall covering unit comprising a continuous backing board, a metalmesh permanently secured to the face of said board, and spaced apartblocks of plastic material cast onto said mesh and board.

15. A Wall covering unit comprising a continuous backing board, a metalmesh permap nently secured to the face of said board, and spaced apartblocks of plastic material cast onto said mesh and board, said meshbeing a exposed between the blocks to form the valleys for pointing withmortar.

16. A wall Covering unit comprising a continuous backing board, a metalmesh permanently secured to the face of said board, and spaced apartblocks of plastic material cast- Vonto said mesh and board, said meshbeing exposed' between and around the blocks to form valleys for pointinwith mortar.

Si ned at Pittsburgh, Marc 1931.

JOSEPH KRAUSS.

a., this 7th day of

